News

Dollywood theme park will add new features, including a waterfall, to honor Dolly Parton

Dollywood theme park will add new features, including a waterfall, to honor Dolly Parton

A memorial wall for Dolly Parton stands outside the Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Camden Hall) Photo: Associated Press


SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Dolly Parton’s theme park in east Tennessee will unveil new features for fans to honor the life of the “dreamer-in-chief,” Dolly Parton, who died at the age of 80.
Sevierville, in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, will also be placing markers throughout the city for a self-guided walking tour of places that were important to the singer, actor and philanthropist. She grew up in rural Sevier County and transformed the theme park into the county’s largest employer and a major tourist destination.
In a press conference held Wednesday, park officials announced plans to add a new character to the park called the Dream Maker, inspired by Parton’s Imagination Library, as well as adding a waterfall and stained glass windows to a chapel inside the park to reflect her deep faith.
The park will add kiosks for visitors to share their thoughts about Parton and new additions are also coming to The Dolly Parton Experience, a multibuilding section that includes exhibits about her life and career.

Latest Stories

18 hours ago in Sports, Trending

Josh Allen opens the Bills’ new stadium with a 5-TD outing in a 41-31 win over the Lions

Josh Allen quickly put his stamp on Highmark Stadium by throwing three touchdown passes and running for two more scores in a 41-31 victory over the Detroit Lions on Thursday night in the first regular-season game at the $2.1 billion facility.

19 hours ago in National, Trending

Early voting begins in US midterm elections that could flip control of Congress

In-person voting for this year's midterm elections began Friday, ushering in the final six weeks for Americans to decide which party they trust to lead Congress through a cost-of-living crisis, a prolonged war in Iran and other pressing issues.

2 days ago in Sports, UVA, UVA Sports

Jacquon Gibson’s high school coach helped steer him to UVA

Now, Gibson is getting ready to play West Virginia in Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium on Saturday, 20 minutes south of where he played his senior year in high school for DeShawn Baker at Hough High.